Bolingbrook Plans To Take Special Census

In an effort to prove that the village's population has grown so they can capture more federal and state funding, Bolingbrook officials plan to conduct a special census.

The 1990 U.S. census found 40,843 people living in the village.

Its population now is estimated at 43,945. But the U.S. Bureau of the Census says a special census to prove that will cost Bolingbrook nearly $100,000.

Critics of special censuses argue that the cost of conducting one often outweighs the possible increases in aid.

Of the total cost, Bolingbrook will pay the census bureau $46,250 upfront and will keep the remaining money to pay for conducting the census.

Any state or municipality that requests a special census must pay for all costs related to it, including office space and equipment for Census Bureau and field workers, payment of those workers according to Census Bureau rates, and the actual tally.

Bolingbrook also would be responsible for recruiting, screening and paying people to go door-to-door to collect information.

The Census Bureau determines how many workers will be needed and reserves the right to reject any of the workers selected, according to a contract that must be signed by the village and the bureau.

In about a month, the village should receive copies of census maps and instructions on how to update them to show the town's current boundaries, which have been stretched by several annexations since the 1990 census.

It then will take the Census Bureau roughly four months before the special census is conducted.